Although it is evident from the many examples given earlier that
the Hebrew word olam was used in reference to things that are
clearly temporary in duration, it may be objected that the same word is also applied
to God, his rule, his mercy, his truth, his glory, etc. (see Deut 32:40; 1
Chron. 16:34; Psalm 9:7, 29:10, 102:12, 104:31; 117:2; Lam 5:19; Eccles 3:14;
cf. Ex 3:15; Psalm 33:11; 66:7; 100:5; 103:17; 104:31, 105:8; 117:2; 135:13;
146:10; Isaiah 51:6, 8; Dan 2:44, etc.). If olam should best
be understood to denote a limited, indefinite duration of time, then wouldn't
verses such as these mean that God's existence (along with his reign, his
mercy, his truth, etc.) is also of a limited duration? Not at
all.
The fact of God's eternality (i.e., his having no beginning or
end) stands by itself, and does not rely on the meaning of the word olam.
Many consider God's eternality and everlastingness to be expressed in the
divine name "Yahweh," for example. We're also told that God is
"incorruptible" (which implies his being everlasting or eternal). And
in Psalm 102:27 we're explicitly told that God's years have no end. But the
idea of eternity, or absolute endless duration,is not inherent in the word olam as
it is used in the Old Testament. It is not God's eternal,
time-transcending existence that is in view in these verses (which was likely a
fact taken for granted by the writers of Scripture). Instead, what is
in view when olam is used in reference to God is his
continuous, faithful and personal involvement with his creation in all of the
time periods of redemptive history, whether past, present or future. It
is thisfact that the scripture writers are emphasizing by their use
of olam in reference to God, his rule, his glory, his mercy,
etc.
Understood in this way, the use of olam in verses
such as these is not an argument for or against that which is
"eternal" or "everlasting" in the absolute sense of the
word. Moreover, by use of parallelism (a common literary device used by the
Hebrew people) the authors of Scripture frequently explain their use of olam when
applied to God, his reign and other things by adding parallel expressions such
as, "throughout all generations," "to a thousand
generations," "many generations," "from generation to
generation," "from age to age," "unto children's
children," etc.[1]Such expressions as these keep
the perspective on the ages of history rather than pointing to an
"eternal" state of existence. It is in reference to a world in which
generations of people are born, live and die that olam is used
in many such verses. None of the above verses have any reference to
"eternity." Nor were they written to, or for, anyone inhabiting
"eternity."
The Olam God
As a review of the conclusions we've arrived at concerning the
meaning of the Hebrew word olam, let's consider Genesis 21:33,
where God is described as the "olam God." What is the
meaning of this description of God, if the word olamdoesn't have
God's eternality in view? I think the context can help us out here. A few
chapters earlier, we read that God had made an "olam covenant"
with Abraham:
"And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your
offspring after you throughout their generations for an olam covenant,
to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to
your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan,
for an olam possession, and I will be their God" (Gen.
17:7-8).
As part of this olam covenant that God made with
Abraham, God promised to give to Abraham the land in which he was sojourning as
a stranger. Significantly, in the verse that immediately follows the one we're
considering (in which God is referred to as "the olam God"),
we read that Abraham was, at the time, sojourning in the land of the
Philistines (Gen 21:34). This historical detail should bring to the reader's
mind the covenant that God had made with Abraham. At some future time, God is
going to fulfill his covenant promise to Abraham, and the land of the
Philistines in which he was but a sojourner (when we're told he "called on
the name of Yahweh") will belong to him and his descendents, as an olam inheritance.
Now, this raises the question: When God fulfills his promise to
Abraham and Abraham finally possesses the land, how long will the land
be in Abraham's possession? The answer to this question will help us
determine how long the duration of time is that is represented by the word
"olam" in Gen. 17:7-8. Although the duration of time was
apparently unknown to Abraham when God made this promise to him (remember that olam denotes
a "hidden" duration of time, whether past, present or future), does
Scripture give us any indication elsewhere of how long it will be (either exactly
or approximately)? Well, we know that, according to Revelation 21:1, the
present heaven and earth is one day going to "pass away" and be
replaced by "a new heaven and a new earth"
(Rev. 21:1). So assuming the land will be in Abraham's possession as long as
the land exists to be possessed and inhabited (which is, I believe, a
reasonable assumption to make), Abraham's possession of the land cannot be
understood as an "eternal" possession. Why? Because according
to what is revealed in Revelation, the entire earth (of which the land promised
to Abraham is a part) is one day going to cease to exist and be replaced by a
new earth. But in spite of the fact that the present earth is
ultimately going to be destroyed and replaced, Abraham will still have plenty of
time to enjoy the land promised him by God. For according to Rev. 20, the
present earth is going to remain in existence for at least a thousand
years after Abraham is resurrected at Christ's coming. Thus, the time
period expressed by the Hebrew noun olam in Genesis 17:7-8 is at
least a thousand years.
Having established that Abraham's "olam possession"
of the land is not "eternal," let's return to Genesis 21:33, where
God is referred to as the "olam God." Is Moses saying
that God's existence is limited to the time period during which (as well as
leading up to when) Abraham enjoys his "olam possession?"
Not at all. Moses was no more limiting God's existence to time by the use of
the word olam than God was excluding himself from being the
God of others when he identified himself as "the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob." Instead, Moses was emphasizing the fact that God was the God who
endured through all the ages of history, and was more than able to fulfill his
covenant promises to Abraham that he and his offspring would receive the land.
He is called the "olam God" out of recognition of the
fact that he is intimately involved with all that takes place within the time
periods of history, overseeing and directing them according to his sovereign
purpose.
[1] Gen
9:12, 16; 17:7; Ex 3:15; 12:14; 27:21; 30:21; 31:16; 40:15; Lev 6:18; 10:9;
17:7; 23:21, 31; 24:3; Num 10:8; 15:15; 18:23; Deut 23:3, 6; 32:7; Josh 8:28;
Psalm 33:11; 45:17; 49:11; 61:6-7; 72:17; 79:13; 85:5; 89:1-2, 4, 29, 36-37;
100:5; 102:12; 103:17; 105:8; 106:31; 135:13; 145:13; 146:10; Prov 8:23; 27:24;
Isa. 34:10, 17; 51:8-9; 58:12; 60:15; 61:4; Lam. 5:19-20; Dan 4:3, 34; Joel
3:20; cf. Eph 3:21
Aaron, you're definitely driving home the point.
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